


The Reaper's Guard Dog

by brizo



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: 2 Ciel Theory, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Its the reapers what do you expect, OC!Ciel's real name as Aster, Phantomhive's live, Reaper!Ciel, The fire and kidnapping still happen but to Vincent instead, Twin Theory, except its not much of theory now that its canon lol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-14 08:31:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11779335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brizo/pseuds/brizo
Summary: He was the extra, the spare. Everyone would be happy if he just disappeared.So he did.He just didn't expect to wake up again.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So hey... I got into... Black Butler...
> 
> Is Aster a boy name? Idk but I liked it because of its means. Also in the Victorian times they were used for a medicine for coughing apparently and what is our boy often sick with...
> 
> Also just to clarify. Aster Phantomhive in the Ciel we know in the manga. Aka the one the story is about. he is OOC in this first chapter because its before the fire. But living as a reaper will bring the Ciel we know out and about.
> 
> Also I might change the name once the next chapter of the manga is out. Depends if I like the name the mangaka comes up with lol.
> 
> Also I don't know how many chapters this will have. Maybe a few... but not too many.

He watched from the window as his brother played with his cousin Elizabeth in the yard, Sebastian playfully nipping at their ankles. Blinking away tears he scurred back towards his large bed pulling himself up and under the covers.

He so desperately wanted to play with his brother and cousin but it was not to be. He had caught yet another cold and was bedridden. He really was useless wasn't he?

He wanted to be healthy like Ciel, he wanted to be able to run around like Ciel, he.. He wanted to be Ciel. He didn’t want to be the unwanted extra. The spare. What kind of spare was he anyway? It was just as likely he’d die way before his brother anyway to be of any use as a spare son.

Sniffling, he rubbed his eyes free of tears before laying down and dozing off.

Sometimes he wished he wasn't born.

* * *

 

Ciel had begun his heir lessons. He was not invited at any point. He had long gotten over his latest cold and was now sitting next to the river in the woods surrounding the family manor. Gazing into the crystal clear water he frowned.

He really was not good enough was he? He just wanted to be in the same room as his Father and brother he didn’t even care about the lessons.

_That's a lie_ , his subconscious hissed out. _You care because you were never a thought, you were never going to inherit anything. The only Phantomhive to have nothing. Because you’re a clone, an unwanted extra, a spare._

The only thing he was good for was marrying off to gain some poor woman's fortune. He didn’t want it, this life of nothing.

In the distance he can hear his servant minders laughing with each other joking around. He knew they weren’t talking about him. But his mind told him differently.

Tears welled up. They didn’t need him. They never did.

..

...

He could fix that.

After all the world didn’t need two Ciel Phantomhives.

Looking back he could see the maids still not paying attention to him at all. Blank dull eyes looking down at the water. Mother and Father would probably be sad. But if he was gone they didn’t need to worry about him anymore and they could focus all their attention on Ciel. He wouldn’t be the sick burden anymore.

Tears burned in his eyes once more. He glanced one more time to make sure they weren’t watching and sneaked away from them.

It was the cowardly way out. But at least they would never know he took his own life. After all, people accidentally fell into rivers all the time.

* * *

 

He blinked, awareness finally coming back to him as he rubbed his eyes. Looking around all he saw was a white blur. Blinking in confusion his heart skipped a beat. Did it fail? Was he still alive? Fear gripped his heart. What if his parent’s KNEW he tried to kill himself?

“Aster Phantomhive. Died August 17th, 1885, age 9. Cause of Death, Suicide by drowning. Remarks: Sentenced to a life of being a Grim Reaper due to cause of death.” The sound of book being shut sounded in the sudden silence.

Suddenly a colored blur placed something in his hands.

“Go on young one. Place those glasses in your hands on and you will be able to see once more.”

Doing as prompted his visioned cleared up and the colored blur solidified in a person. The woman was young, perhaps only 16 years of age and had soft chestnut brown hair. Her eyes were a bright green phosphorescent green. She was mighty pretty and the nine year old found himself blushing.

Her smile widened.

“Its nice to meet you Aster. My name Amelia Greenwood. I’ll be your mentor as you go through the Academy and your first years as a reaper. Typically we don’t assign mentors but as you’re one of the youngest reapers we have gained recently we need someone to look out for you.”

Aster had no problem with that he supposed as long as he could have his independence. Something was nagging him though.

“Miss Greenwood?”

“You may call me Amelia if you wish Aster. Yes?”

“What exactly is a reaper?”

Amelia sighed sadly before sitting on the end of the bed. She knew explaining this might not make much sense to him at the moment as a child but she would do her best. He was old enough to make the choice of dying so he was old enough to know the consequences of it.

And so she told him.

At the end he cried. Cried in despair that he was now trapped in this life of collecting souls and seeing others despair. But he also cried in happiness because here he was Aster Phantomhive and not Ciel’s clone and extra. Here he was healthy and not sick.

Here he was free to be himself.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aftermath of Aster's suicide.

The day had started off well. It was a bright summer day warm and humid.

Which, really, should have tipped Vincent off that something was going to go wrong today. 

He had woken up early his wife still sleeping contently in their shared bed. Kissing her on the forehead he had made his way to a connected room to have Tanaka help him with some of his dressing. After that he made his way to the dining room, having a cup of tea and reading the news of the day. Surprisingly nothing truly bad had happened the previous day so it was just mindlessly stories.

Somewhere in between two articles his wife had entered dressed in a flattering gown with his two sons hands in her own.

Ciel had smiled brightly at him and proclaimed happily, “Good morning!” When he had turned to his youngest Aster looked at him before saying sullenly a good morning as well.

This wasn’t anything new as sometimes Aster would feel ill enough to not work up the energy to greet him like his brother.

He had smiled at them both as they were all served their breakfast. Ciel had eagerly jumped into a conversation with his mother and father. From the corner of his eye he could see Aster staring at his brother before turning his gaze to his food. Food, Vincent noticed, he was not eating as much as pushing around on his plate.

“Are you alright Aster?” He asked in concern. From beside him Rachel frowned.

“I’m fine Papa.” Aster replied back. “Just not much hungry this morning.”

“Perhaps in a little bit then, love?” Rachel asked.

“Maybe..” Aster replied back. “Can I be excused?”

Vincent frowned. “Of course Aster. I’ll have a maid escort you back to your room.”

“Thank you Papa. Ciel… do you want to play together later?” Aster asked tilting his head to the side. Ciel blinked a smile on his face and went to open his mouth. But before he could Vincent cut in.

“Not today Aster. Ciel has heir lessons he needs to attend today.” 

Aster’s expression froze but quickly went back to the way it was before. If Vincent was not the Queen’s Guard Dog and used to seeking out reactions like this he would have probably missed it. He frowned.

“Oh… can I sit in the room with you guys then? I can read a book or something…” He trailed off. Vincent sighed. He really didn’t want Aster involved in these lessons. He didn’t want him exposed to the the underbelly of the country. Ciel was to be the next guard dog not Aster. And Vincent would do anything to protect his youngest from the dark shadows of the world.

“Not today Aster.”

Something dark flashed in Aster’s eyes before he turned around.

“I see.”

The maid who was waiting by the door for her young master then stepped forward and Aster placed his hand in her own.

“See you later Papa, Mama, Ciel…”

Vincent didn’t know it at the time but that was the last conversation he would have with his youngest while he was still alive.

* * *

The maid sobbed her dress falling around her like a halo as she wept in her hands in front of the head butler. Tanaka’s face was set in a grave emotion.

“What have you done you stupid girl.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. He was right there, right in front of me. I turned my back not even two seconds and he was gone. Please forgive me.”

He would not forgive her and neither would their master. Why did she even think taking the young master to the river near the house in the was a good idea in the first place he didn’t know. He didn’t care that the young master wanted to go it was a dangerous place for a 9 year old boy, she should have realized that and forbad it. She had that sort of authority when it came to the young boy’s safety.

“You are to come with me right now and explain yourself to the master what happened. And then you are to help with the search.”

“Yes, Sir.” She sobbed out once more.

When they made their way to the sitting room the Master and Mistress were in, with Young Master Ciel playing with toys, they both took a deep breath before explaining the situation.

When the truth of the matter came out the tea cup in Mistress Rachel’s hands fell splashing the tear on the carpet and tears welled up. Sobbing into her hands he hugged Ciel close to her.

The Master called up a search of the land around the river and manor. They had searched hours even when the sun set. Torches in hand they combed the edges of the river.

But by then it was too late.

Young Master Aster Phantomhive's body was found lying face down in the river. He had been dead for at least a couple hours

They ruled it an accidental death. At least that's what the Undertaker had told his old friend. Only he knew due to his old Reaper notebook that the other didn’t die accidently but through the same sin he had committed.

Laughing without any humor he brushed the bangs of his hair back letting vibrant green eyes shine.

“You just had to didn’t you young Phantomhive? Well, I suppose this is what makes humans so interesting wouldn’t you agree, Claudia?” He whispered to the funeral locket in his hand.

And then a tear slipped out and then many others as even he started to cry. “You dumb idiotic boy. Just look what you have done to yourself. Pray that Vincent does not see you in that cursed form.”

Of course, nothing goes the way everyone wants it.


End file.
